1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to communication systems, and more particularly, to prioritizing inter-frequency and/or inter radio access technology (RAT) measurements and evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS) in Long Term Evolution (LTE).
2. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcasts. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access technologies include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, single-carrier frequency divisional multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems, and time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) systems.
These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. An example of an emerging telecommunication standard is LTE. LTE is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile standard promulgated by Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). It is designed to better support mobile broadband Internet access by improving spectral efficiency, lower costs, improve services, make use of new spectrum, and better integrate with other open standards using OFDMA on the downlink (DL), SC-FDMA on the uplink (UL), and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology. However, as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, there exists a need for further improvements in LTE technology. Preferably, these improvements should be applicable to other multi-access technologies and the telecommunication standards that employ these technologies.
A serving evolved Node B (eNB) may command a user equipment (UE) to perform an inter-frequency or inter-RAT measurement while in a connected mode. The eNB may not know when the UE is receiving eMBMS content. As such, there may be a collision between a measurement gap for performing the inter-frequency or inter-RAT measurement and the reception of eMBMS content. As such, a need exists for methods and apparatuses for prioritizing inter-frequency and/or inter-RAT measurements and eMBMS.